Friday, November 13, 2009

Chart of the Day: Gender Gap for Top Math Scores

The chart above shows the ratio of males to females for SAT math test scores in the range between 750 and 800 (data here) between 1996 and 2008. For example, in 2008, there were 26,610 males who tested between 750-800 for the SAT math test, compared to 13,854 females in that range, for a Male-Female ratio of 1.92 to 1. In 1996, the male-female ratio for SAT math scores above 750 was 2.70. So although the ratio has decreased over time, males are still over-represented for math test-takers with scores between 750-800 by a factor of about 2 to 1.

Update: There were 704,226 males who took the SAT test in 2008, and 812,764 females. That means that 3.78% of male test-takers scored above 750 on the math test compaed to 1.70% of females above 750.

The SAT was adjusted a couple of time since the late 60's. Have no idea if the info is correct but apparently if you took the SAT around 1967 you should add 30 or 40 points to have a comparable score. At least that was the claim at a faculty meeting a few years ago.

The next stimulus package needs large tax cuts to address this intolerable situation. How? Because so many more women then men are working and thus have a larger tax burden that should be used for math remediation programs to close the gender gap. %5000.00 annual tax credits (women only) to finance female math enhancement programs.

Actually this represents the issue that got Larry Summers run out of Harvard, that there are some differences in the way male and female brains work. If one was to take the verbal scores it would be the other way around with females leading. Given the wider standard deviation in IQ scores for Male, what does the curve look like for men and females, is in more skewed for males?

The correct number to report is the percentage of scores above 750 by sex. The chart, as shown, just reflects the fact that the ratio of boys to girls taking the SAT keeps falling.

Naturally, those who disbelieve genetic differences in mental abilities between sexes will claim that the "decline" indicates that girls will eventually achieve parity with boys in regards to math excellence. Of course, the graph doesn't support that notion. A graph of percentages of boys and girls above 750 will show no significant change for decades.